Since 1988, the research organization has worked to advance science education through peer-reviewed grants competitions for four-year colleges and universities. Competitions enable HHMI “to highlight important national issues in science education, support science faculty in addressing these problems, and encourage institutions to become leaders in science education excellence,” according to its website.

The winners share a common goal of increasing institutional capacity for inclusion, which ranges from re-imaging “curriculum, instructional policies or the attitudes and skills of faculty,” the announcement stated. “The grantee institutions have proposed creative and unconventional ideas for making STEM inclusive for students from all backgrounds. Some ideas include the development of culturally-aware curriculum and faculty training, using technology to help students manage family and cultural obligations, empowering students to serve as role models in the classroom, and creating programs to engage large numbers of undergraduates in course-based research experiences.”

Washington University in St. Louis: Holding psychosocial and metacognitive training programs for faculty, advisers, teaching assistants and others to learn to create inclusive learning environments; and

Western Washington University: Introducing student-centered, inclusive courses designed to increase success for all students, with an emphasis for underrepresented natural sciences students.